29 Jan 2014

The Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Keletso Rakhudu says implementation of the new policies will assist service providers to have the ability to lead their own businesses.

Addressing members of cooperatives in Lobatse recently, Mr Rakhudu said the mandate of the pitso was to find a way forward for the cooperatives which seemed to be slowly fading away.

He likened the setting of the pitso to the watering of a growing tree, which was sown way back, in illustrating the importance of the revival of the cooperatives. Mr Rakhudu said a business’s goal was to look for customers to appease with good services and products of good quality.

He further highlighted on the knowledge that any enterprise has challenges in its operation. ‘We know that cooperatives have different challenges, said Rakhudu. He said cooperatives need to be strategically organised for success in the business arena.

‘We are supporting you to ensure that the cooperative rules do not make any compromise or whatsoever, said Mr Rakhudu. He pleaded with the members to inform their office of any mishaps occurring in their different cooperative societies.

He notified the members of the citizen economic empowerment policy and economic diversification which are being driven by his ministry.  He said the old policies have been amended to suit the cooperatives’ best interests and future aspirations.

‘Let us be wise in seeing ways to uplift the cooperatives’ said Mr Rakhudu. He further encouraged that people should create jobs for themselves and not rely on the government. He said that initiatives are an investment for the future as the cooperative members are shareholders in their societies.

In lamenting on the importance of cooperatives, the Botswana cooperative business association board chair, Mr Carthage Batsalelwang said that cooperatives are a way to combat poverty eradication in the country, and encouraged the cooperatives to join its union where they will elect their own leaders.

‘The ministry is to impact the knowledge on us and not to be pioneers for our businesses’ said Mr Batsalelwang in emphasising on the spirit of self reliance. He cited branding as one of the pillars for transformation that is aimed at making cooperatives thrive in the business community.

Kgosi Kebinatshwene Mosielele who is a member of the Manyana Cooperative Society, complained of the associations’ communication  with its members, and pointed out that the misuse of money occurred which led to the collapsing of the cooperatives.

‘We also need to be careful of the personnel we hire to run these cooperatives in order to curb them from elapsing again, said Mosielele. He expressed his disappointment on the introduction of the new act which as cooperatives they have not come in contact with.

Mr Madisa Madisa shared the same sentiments as he pleaded for an elaboration on the structure and strategies of the available associations and the cooperatives’ union.

 Councillor Raphael of Boswelatloue commended the government for such initiatives as they help the country to be in pa with other countries.

 Members also cited issues of publication of information sources in English language only, the reaching out to people through different platforms such as the kgotla and the plea for training of more members of the cooperative societies.

Her worship the Mayor of Lobatse, Caroline Lesang expressed gratitude for such an event to be hosted in her town and praised the ministry for their hard work in ensuring that cooperatives do not fade away.

She called on for seriousness of cooperatives and encouraged self empowerment and discouraged the spirit of reliance.

The new act will ensure that profits are gained in cooperative businesses. It will also see the number of members in a cooperative society being reduced and giving them power to make their own decisions and hence emphasizing on the importance of shares in a cooperative entity. ENDS